The current exhibition, "Array X", by artist Alex Leong is being held at The Art Gallery in Penang. It showcases the latest works by this watercolourist, a native of Penang and a member of the Malaysian Watercolour Society, Penang Watercolour Society, Penang Art Society and North Kedah Art Society.
The 40 striking artworks on display are categorised into 10 distinct series, all depicting precious moments of local life in Malaysia that evoke nostalgia at every glance.
The exhibition opening, auspiciously held on October 10th, marked Alex Leong’s tenth solo exhibition, which also coincides with the tenth anniversary of gallery owner Ms Tan Ee Lene, who took over the gallery from her father, succeeding him in the same role.
The general theme of the exhibited artworks portrays joyful scenes from a bygone era, when life moved at a much slower pace than it does today in our frenetic digital age. What strikes the viewer, beyond the initial appeal of the warm colours applied in gentle, soft strokes, is the sense of community that emanates from all these artworks.
Alex Leong depicts lively street scenes featuring heritage buildings where people gather at local kopitiam or in front of hawker stalls. Festive celebrations are also a recurring subject in his work, in which he excels at showing happy family reunions in a rich array of colours, whether during Chinese New Year or the Mid-Autumn Festival.
The displayed artworks also acknowledge the cultural diversity of Malaysia, a subject that is close to his heart. These include a painting that shows a traditional Malay wedding and another depicting a classical concert at Suffolk House.
The Harmony Street series further conveys this sentiment by depicting three different places of worship where communities of distinct faiths coexist and gather around food stalls peacefully.
Nevertheless, his work never becomes political, even when he paints a scene taken from the “Wayang Kulit”: his intention is to depict the traditional art form as a reminiscence of the past, not as a political statement to advocate for this highly threatened cultural expression.
The main subject of his body of work is undoubtedly the world of his childhood, in which he takes pleasure in recreating his nostalgic memories of the 1980s and 1990s.
His latest series, “100 Children”, portrays one hundred children, as the name suggests, each one merrily engaged in local traditional games, in the absence of any electronic devices, which did not exist at the time.
According to Chinese tradition, the number ‘100’ is symbolic of perfection, which speaks volumes about the sentimentality the artist feels towards his olden days.
The world he depicts is undeniably rooted in an idealised childhood: despite the significant number of children present, not a single child is visibly crying, left out or even bullied by their peers, as often happens in real life. Alex Leong portrays his very personal, watered-down vision of childhood, viewed through his very own rose-tinted glasses, with lenses crafted by a deep sense of nostalgia.
In many of his paintings, Alex Leong also tucks in a cheerful little girl in a red dress — a tradition that he established early in his artistic career, long before he became a father to his now 16-year-old daughter. This adorable little girl regularly appears, much to the delight of the observant viewer, who will spot her here and there in his artworks.
Alex Leong’s working process also offers precious insights into his pictorial language: he begins by sketching buildings on-site to capture the atmosphere of the street scenes. Noticeably, his intentional focus on the heritage buildings deliberately leaves out the omnipresence of the newly built concrete high-rises and the overall development projects that are threatening the very existence of Penang’s cultural heritage.
In the second phase, he gives free rein to his vivid imagination in the comfort of his studio, where he adds all the intricate details that make the finished work a true feast for the eyes. He is undoubtedly a master at portraying details that are true to nature and are directly inspired by local daily life. Kids running in excitement, a lady picking up her food with chopsticks, a man shaving in the corner of a window, a kid smiling in front of a lollipop, and the graceful flight of pigeons are just some of the scenes that reveal these intricacies.
Interestingly, even with this care for detail, Alex Leong rarely portrays the full facial features of his characters. This appears to be a deliberate choice, allowing each viewer to project their own imagination or reminiscences into the depicted scenes. This yearning for the past makes his work particularly gripping, for, as Vladimir Nabokov wrote: “One is always at home in one’s past.” Perhaps this is what, in part, makes these artworks so endearing: they offer a way to recall places and people that are gradually fading away, while simultaneously illustrating the universality of our shared humanity.
At the time of the exhibition opening, several artworks had already been sold through an online auction that took place even before the opening. This is proof of the high commercial value of Alex Leong’s artworks, probably at the risk of being non-controversial.
Nevertheless, a printed exhibition catalogue is available at the gallery for RM30, featuring very appealing reproductions of the paintings.
The exhibition runs from October 10th to 24th, 2026. The gallery is open Monday to Thursday by appointment only (+60 12-604 1434), and Friday to Sunday, from 2:00 pm to 5:30 pm.
The Art Gallery – 368-4-8, Belissa Row, Jalan Burma, Pulau Tikus, 10350 Penang.
About the writer:
Zoé Poietika is a visual art practitioner with a passion for creativity and a curiosity for all things cultural. From live performances and concerts to exhibitions and film screenings, she enjoys exploring the arts whenever the mood strikes. She also loves curating her own garden in Tanjung Bungah, watching her bananas grow and harvesting them before the monkeys get to them first!
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